The Spanish-American War Quiz

Ah, the famous Spanish-American War! Where ... that one side ... fought for that one cause. Learn a thing or two about this brief period of American history or brag to your friends about how you charged the hill and took this quiz without a fight.

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Question 1 of 30

What were the two sides in the Spanish-American War?

Spanish and Americans

Hey, it doesn't hurt to start with the basics.

Americans and the Cubans

Spanish-Americans and Dominicans

Question 2 of 30

When did the Spanish-American War begin?

1910

1898

Right before the turn of the century, the Spanish American-War began.

1870

Question 3 of 30

What country was trying to become independent from Spain, which prompted the Spanish-American conflict?

Nicaragua

Cuba

Cuba had begun fomenting rebellion, and Spain was not having it.

Puerto Rico

Question 4 of 30

Shortly before the war, the United States sent what to Havana partly as a gesture of diplomacy?

a statue of an olive tree

Teddy Roosevelt

a U.S. battleship

Because there were riots in Cuba, the U.S. ship was in some ways a way to stand with Spain.

Question 5 of 30

The battleship was called:

the USS Castro

the USS Maine

The Maine became an important instigator in the war.

the USS Henry

Question 6 of 30

Before the start of the war, popular opinion in the U.S. was on the side of:

Nobody cared.

the Spanish

the Cuban rebels

Many people in the United States were quite disturbed by the Spanish treatment of the Cubans.

Question 7 of 30

What was the name given to the sensational, shocking news stories that stirred up anti-Spanish sentiment in the 1890s?

corpse copy

yellow journalism

William Randolph Hearst and the New York papers were dedicated to describing -- and occasionally hyperbolizing -- the Spanish occupation.

whacky writing

Question 8 of 30

What happened to the USS Maine?

It was blown up.

In February 1898, the Maine blew up in Havana harbor.

It left for Miami.

It was captured by rebels.

Question 9 of 30

Who was responsible for the Maine's explosion?

Spain

Cuban rebels

No one knows.

It's still not clear what happened to the Maine.

Question 10 of 30

How many people died on the ship?

89

15

260

260 seamen died from the explosion and subsequent sinking.

Question 11 of 30

The sinking of the Maine became a rallying point for:

the Spanish to start a war

Americans wanting to intervene on behalf of the Cuban rebels

The tragedy of the Maine caused a sensation in the media, and made the American public quite keen to intervene on Cuba's behalf.

Cubans to arm against Spain

Question 12 of 30

Spain was giving Cuba limited powers of self government when the U.S. Congress did what?

demanded Spain withdraw from Cuba

gave the U.S. President the power to use force for a Spanish withdrawal

both

In April 1898, Congress sided hard with Cuba.

Question 13 of 30

Who declared war first?

America

Spain

After the Congressional resolutions, Spain declared war on April 24.

both at the same time

Question 14 of 30

The U.S. declared war back on what date?

April 25th

April 21st

both

So the U.S. said "war right back at ya" to Spain the next day … but made the declaration retroactive to the 21st.

Question 15 of 30

While the issue at hand was Cuba, where was the first engagement of the Spanish-American war fought?

Miami

the Philippines

Remember that the Philippines was controlled by Spain, so the Battle of Manila Bay was the first battle of the war.

Barcelona

Question 16 of 30

How did the Battle of Manila Bay go for the U.S.?

It was extremely easily.

The Spanish squadron that protected Manila Bay was destroyed in mere hours, and the United States didn't have a single mortal casualty.

It was not so hot.

It was a tie.

Question 17 of 30

Spain was:

confident they would easily win the conflict

equipped with the most advanced and prepared naval fleet

categorically unequipped for a foreign naval war

We'll get into some examples, but needless to say Spain wasn't really giving its all to the cause.

Question 18 of 30

The Spanish admiral in charge of the fleet heading to Cuba warned Spanish officials:

He didn't have enough coal to power his ships.

He didn't have enough ammunition for an engagement.

both

Those are two things you really need when in a naval battle, after all.

Question 19 of 30

When the ships got to Santiago, they were met by:

Cuban rebels ready to fight

a much more robust American presence, blockading the harbor

Things really weren't going well for Spain.

no American presence

Question 20 of 30

The Rough Riders were what kind of military volunteers?

cavalry

Which makes sense, what with the 'riding' part and all.

Marines

medics

Question 21 of 30

What famous American was a Rough Rider in the Spanish-American War?

Franklin Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt

Teddy was second-in-charge of the rough and tumble regiment.

Henry Ford

Question 22 of 30

The Rough Riders charged up:

San Juan Hill

Kettle Hill

While some units charged San Juan Hill, the Rough Riders attacked nearby Kettle Hill in the larger Battle of San Juan Hill.

neither

Question 23 of 30

What other troops were fighting just as ferociously alongside the heralded Rough Riders?

Buffalo soldiers

The African American regiments were not hailed as heroically but were a major part of the Spanish American service.

nobody

local children who were armed with knives

Question 24 of 30

The Spanish fleet attempted to leave Santiago Harbor on July 3. How long before Santiago was surrendered to U.S. troops?

two weeks

This whole war thing was really not working out for Spain.

a month

two months

Question 25 of 30

The Treaty of Paris was signed:

July 1898

August 1898

December 1898

While the war had been effectively over for months, there had been much to negotiate.

Question 26 of 30

In the Treaty of Paris, Spain:

ceded all claim to Cuba

assumed Cuban debt

both

When the debt is $400 million, that's no small potatoes.

Question 27 of 30

What else did the United States get in the Treaty of Paris?

Puerto Rico

Guam

both

Yes, it is a little disturbing that everyone was just dealing countries like cards.

Question 28 of 30

The United States also assumed control of the Philippines. How did that go over?

Nobody cared.

Everyone was delighted.

It was not so hot, both domestically and in the Philippines.

Even the Senate barely voted for the treaty, and the Filipinos had already begun hostile actions against the U.S. forces.

Question 29 of 30

All in all, the Spanish-American War was over in:

less than a year

from declaration of war to ratified treaty, it was only about nine months.

a year and a half

two months

Question 30 of 30

What was the leading cause of death for U.S. soldiers during the Spanish-American War?

infection

While roughly 350 soldiers were killed in combat, 2,500 died from disease.